Norwalk Hospital Leads the Way in Hip and Knee Joint Replacements

Norwalk, Connecticut – October 26, 2016 – Norwalk Hospital’s Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center is proud to report above average rankings at the state and national level for quality outcomes after hip and knee replacement surgeries.* Ninety-seven percent of patients surveyed would “definitely recommend” Norwalk Hospital as a joint replacement destination - that’s 26 percent higher than the regional average. According to the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated, an estimated 7 million Americans are living with a hip or knee replacement, and we’re proud to be ranked among the top providers for these services.

“Because we track our patients’ progress after surgery, we know they experience early improvements in pain and activity six weeks out of surgery that are not achieved by others until six months after surgery,” said Deborah Canet, DPT, NCS, Clinical Coordinator of Norwalk Hospital’s Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center. “We utilize the latest technology and offer a supportive approach to healing, which has been very well received by our patients.”

Quality outcomes show that 84 percent of our patients begin their recovery at home instead of at an extended care facility after surgery, compared to 71 percent of patients in other joint replacement programs in the northeast. Also of note are the outstanding scores compared to other hospitals in the state: Our patients report accelerated recovery times; they spend less time in the hospital and return to normal activity sooner. They see earlier improvements in pain management and functionality compared with rates at other facilities, and experience fewer complications. “The best source of information regarding improvements in function, pain and quality of life after joint replacement surgery is the patient,” Canet said.

We’re pleased to share our excellent outcome data:
• Upon discharge, 81 percent of Norwalk Hospital’s hip and knee joint replacement surgery patients are able to walk the length of a football field, a success rate that’s among the nations’ highest. And, six weeks post-surgery, 90 percent of patients reported experiencing mild to no pain when walking and standing.

• Our highly-skilled, board certified orthopedic surgeons are experts in the use of advanced technology that contributes to our superior results.

“Our Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center specializes in the care of patients after joint replacement surgery, offering private rooms, camaraderie with other patients and families, and personalized attention. Our surgeons assess their patients’ progress daily while they are in the hospital. Family and friends are involved closely in therapy and education sessions to prepare for the return home,” added Canet.

Success Stories
Sixty-one year old Westport resident Michael Sharpe had managed his pain alone for some time before considering surgery, but when his knee pain became intense, he knew he had to do something about it. An avid hiker, he didn’t want to miss hiking the trails and keeping up with his active grandson. Just five weeks after his knee replacement surgery, Sharpe was able to walk six miles with no issue and after 12 weeks, he was back to hiking the trails at Trout Brook Valley Preserve in Easton, Conn. “Now, six months after my surgery, I’m preparing to go on a major hike. When my orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Lynch gives the okay, I plan to climb Mount Moosilauke, a 4,802-foot mountain that’s part of The White Mountains in New Hampshire, and then to hike Yosemite,” Sharpe shared.

Stratford resident Sue Benton assumed that her hip pain was the result of years of teaching fitness/dance classes. The 59-year old photographer, wife, and mother of two didn’t want to believe she had a degenerative joint disease from arthritis. “When I first found out, I was in denial about the fact I needed hip replacement surgery,” Benton said. “Because I’ve danced so much, I felt I was indestructible. However, after dance class one day it became clear to me that I needed to get help. ”I found an orthopedic physician in New Haven, but I really wanted to go to Norwalk instead after I spoke with Deborah Canet at Norwalk Hospital and Dr. Mark Fletcher of Coastal Orthopaedics. It just felt more like a community to me,” Benton shared.

“What I liked about him right away is that he listened to understand what my needs were,” Benton said. “I had to know if hip replacement surgery would allow for continued mobility and freedom of movement while dancing.” Dr. Fletcher suggested a minimally-invasive direct anterior approach to hip replacement surgery that is a tissue-sparing alternative to traditional hip replacement surgery. This alternative provided Benton with the potential for less pain, faster recovery and improved mobility because the muscle tissues were spared during the procedure. “I am dancing just as much as I did before the surgery, and I don’t feel any pain at all. While I was a patient at Norwalk Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center, I received personal attention and wasn’t just a number,” said Benton. “It’s really nice to go to a hospital where you feel really cared for like you’re home. When people ask me how I’m doing – I say I’m just so happy and I almost forget I even had the surgery.”

*Data was collected by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), other top performing hospitals, and patient surveys from April 2015 through March 2016.